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What went wrong: Lamar Miller

Sounds about right. In Lazor's offense and with a competent line, we could be in store for big things from Miller & Moreno.

On Film

Miller has never been known as the world’s most-physical runner. He is not a player who moves piles with impressive leg drive, or stiff arms linebackers to tack on extra yards. Knowing this, I expected it to be one of the main takeaways from his film. Instead, I found a back who ran better than his statistics or workload would indicate, one severely let down by his line and coaching staff.

Miller is still more lightning than thunder. True to his reputation, he rarely, if ever, emerged from dogpiles with extra yards. Fighting through scrums is not his strong suit, and never will be. Miller can be felled by arm tackles, and occasionally gets ragdolled like Chris Johnson. He doesn’t always make the right cuts.

But Miller is not only fast, but quick. His acceleration jumps off the screen. Miller isn’t quite a CJ2K-esque blur, but he’s undoubtedly one of the swiftest running backs in the league. When Miller finds his lane, he’s almost always good for 5-6 yards. He gets what’s blocked, even if he’s operating with a hole the size of Tavon Austin. Miller is not immune to making the wrong read, but he gives away much fewer runs than the numbers would lead you to believe.

The problem is that, like his coaching, his blocking was as bad as advertised last season. Again, Miller is not a player who’s going to take on two tacklers and escape with extra yards. This stood out in 2013 because Miller received almost no second-level blocks. It was one cut, one block, one tackle. On the few occasions Miller’s blockers did manage to occupy a linebacker or defensive back, he usually gained 15-20 yards.

This was most pronounced on Miami’s outside-zone runs, or the rare instances Miller had the nerve to bounce wide on his own. Miller’s skill-set is tailor made for getting to the perimeter and upfield for monster gains. If only his line couldever set the edge. Whenever he was sent outside, Miller was a home run with a Green Monster in front of him. Almost without fail, Miller would be swallowed up whole before he could even think about cutting upfield. It wasn’t a matter of hesitance (Trent Richardson) or a lack of burst (Ray Rice). It was Miller’s offensive line working like a strainer. When you have a space back you can never spring into space, you have a running back who’s not ripping off as many long gains as you’d like.

There were other issues. Miller remains a work in progress as a pass protector, and has surprisingly stiff hands. He is neither the strongest nor smartest back. But the faults that defined his 2013 were the ones that were out of his control.

Lamar is still a very high potential guy. We needed an experienced RB for hard yards last year and we didn't have him. The addition of Knowshon Moreno should significantly help the team. Miller could be dangerous when he comes in.
Don't write him off. This is a good challenge and he might come out of it very hungry.

I'm not sure Millers is a #1RB or even a #2RB even with a decent OL and balanced playcalling. I suspect he's currently #2 on the depth chart behind Moreno, and if we spend a mid-round draft pick on a RB, I'm not sure where that leaves Miller....#3RB?

I believe the combo of Moreno and Miller will be better than Thomas and Miller. It's been time to release Thomas, barring and injuries during preseason. I would use a low draft choice for another RB, unless we get an opportunity for a "real" steal earlier in the draft. I can only hope that our o-line will be better than last year and that has got to help with the running game. If the running game works better, than Tannehill will have more success with the play action. It has got to start up front before our offense makes that next step.

i refuse to judge him after only 2 seasons. he has shown the ability to have some big runs. i think john jerry and jon martin were just absolutely horrible at most aspects of their job. mckinnie sure wasn't a great run blocker by any means. clabo is not known as a run blocker, more of a pass blocker. Miller is going to be very good one day, one day soon, and I hope its here in Miami because if not he will surely come back and torch us on any team with a good o line. Thats not to say I dont believe we are building a good line to open up the running game and also protect 17, i think hickey is doing well so far.

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Our o line still stinks IMO. Yeah we got Brandon Albert but I don't feel like Shelly Smith was that great of a signing. Jason Fox is a backup and nothing more with his injury history. I'm a little surprised we didn't bolster the line with another prpven veteran starter or two.

As much bad rep that the offensive line received last season for giving up a franchise record 58 sacks in just 16 games, they were even worse in holding up blocks for Lamar and Co. That really says a lot, their run protection was excruciatingly horrific last season. The jury is still out on Lamar. With the same offensive line as 2013, Lamar could go out the way David Carr did, lots of pro potential that was all wasted behind historically bad offensive lines. I'm hoping he will take advantage of a RB2 role in Lazor's reportedly run heavy offense behind Moreno, and an upgraded offensive line.